


Hold Your Peace

by gin_tonic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: snape_potter, M/M, Snarry-A-Thon Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-20 16:02:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2434673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gin_tonic/pseuds/gin_tonic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry had learned to expect the weird and the dangerous aspects of his life as a Healer. What he hadn't expected, though, was to see Severus Snape again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold Your Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: #18 – "Harry's a mediwizard working for the Ministry of Magic's Auror division when one day he gets a seriously injured Unspeakable as a patient. To Harry's 
> 
> A gazillion thanks go to sassy_cat, for her wonderful and speedy work as my beta. <3 And equally as many thanks go to torino10154 for her patience.

Harry'd just fallen asleep in the on-call room, when mediwizard Miller burst in. "Get up, we got an emergency!" Wake-up calls were never gentle in these halls. Harry roused himself, waved his wand to spray some water into his face and hurried after Miller. Their division inside the Ministry was a small one, since it only catered to the Auror corps and the Unspeakables, but it was well staffed and well stocked.

They'd brought the patient already into the operating theatre. Miller put a disinfectant spell over him as Harry rushed into the theatre, wand drawn. "Okay, what do we got?"

"Unspeakable, got hurt during a mission," Ella, his other assistant, said. "Lacerations on his legs and torso, curse wounds at his temple and on his hand. Was brought in unconscious but immediately after the injury occurred."

Harry nodded. With most curse wounds, timing was critical. Non-fatal curses needed time to seep into the flesh and the soul to be permanently destructive, and the quicker one acted, the better the chance of survival – and of healing. He quickly instructed Miller to take care of the lacerations before stepping close to take a look. When he saw who was actually lying on his table, he heard his blood roar in his head, felt all colour rush from his face and had to hold onto the table to prevent himself from falling.

Snape. Severus bloody Snape was lying right there in front of him. An Unspeakable, they'd said. Snape had been gone for years now – or so Harry had thought. Merlin knew he'd tried to contact the man every way possible and he hadn't managed. And now he learned that they actually had the same employer and that they both worked at the Ministry.

"Healer Potter?"

Harry shook himself. Right. Yes. He'd take care of the wounds first and freak out later. Quickly, he ran his wand over Snape's body, scanning for the curse, then nodded as he found it. The curse was nasty, but not imaginative. Snape'd be in quite a lot of pain when he woke up, but he'd live. And that was the main thing. Harry rolled up his sleeves and set to work.

******

Harry refused to leave until he saw that Snape was on his way to improvement. Sure, he'd told Jeremy he'd be home right after his shift, but this was Snape. This was important. He checked Snape's vitals again and entered them in the chart. Snape's wounds had closed nicely and Harry had been able to stop the curse from taking root in Snape's system.

What had Snape been doing to land himself in trouble like that? He knew better than to ask someone though – they wouldn't tell him, anyway. But that didn't stop Harry from being curious. The curse put on Snape was a complicated one and not well known – not even where career criminals were concerned. Snape must be involved in something dangerous – though that didn't really come as a surprise.

Seeing Snape, unconscious or not, was surreal. Harry had often tried to get in touch with the man. To thank him, to argue with him, to talk to him – and he had thought about seeing him again even more often. Sometimes Harry'd even doubted that Snape really was alive, having no proof that the man was still around, save his own memory of seeing Snape in the half-destroyed hospital wing next to all the other wounded people. Harry had moved on with his life – or so he'd thought.

A rustling of the sheets made Harry jerk upright. He was at Snape's side immediately and quickly scanned his vitals as Snape's eyelids fluttered. His hand groping for a wand he couldn't find – Harry had put it in the nightstand with a spell keyed to him and Snape – Snape opened his eyes slowly.

"Hey, welcome back," Harry said and smiled. For a second, Snape's eyes focussed on him, then he was unconscious again.

******

When Harry returned the next day, Snape's healing process was making headway. He was already sitting upright in his bed, harassing one of the mediwitches.

"You know she's the one picking out your meal for you," Harry said as he entered.

"I do. It's what our discussion was about."

The mediwitch rolled her eyes and hurried out of the room.

"So it was you I saw," Snape said. "I wasn't sure if it was a figment of my imagination or –"

Before Snape could launch into whatever insult would be coming, Harry bowed and said, "Harry Potter, resident healer, at your service."

Snape snorted. "So it's you I have to thank for this comfortable environment." The look on his face betrayed his thanks.

"It's me you have to thank for keeping you alive and getting that bloody complicated curse out." Harry whipped out his wand and ran it over Snape's body, knowing full well he'd never get that thank-you.

******

"I've told you a thousand times, Jerry! I can't just leave because I'm done with my shift – if a patient needs me, I have to take care of them first!" Head deep in the flames of a Floo call, Harry could barely keep himself from shouting.

Jeremy didn't have to restrain himself because of patients and co-workers – he was at home and certainly had no qualms about getting loud. "You promised! Though I shouldn't be surprised that you're at that blasted place and I'm here with dinner that's not getting any better. You never keep your fucking promises, Harry!"

"What?" Harry balled his hands into fist. "Of course I keep my fucking promises! And I'm sorry if you, after three years, cannot get it into your head that I don't have a nine-to-five job."

"I don't have to listen to this."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Jeremy was already pulling back. The Floo call ended abruptly and Harry pulled back with a sigh. Well, that would be a nice return home later. He got up and stretched and then slowly turned to leave the staff lounge. As he looked up, he saw Snape standing at the door. From the look on his face it was obvious that he had listened in on the conversation.

"Sorry you had to hear that," Harry said and rubbed his face, hoping Snape wouldn't see just how embarrassed he was.

"Not at all."

"He just doesn't get how my job works. That this is not just a nine-to-five thing, that I'm needed here."

"It's why you took the job, isn’t it? Because you're needed?"

Harry motioned for Snape to go back to his room instead of replying. "You should lie down. Your injuries aren't fully healed yet and you need your rest."

"What does this Jeremy do, then?"

"He works as a bookkeeper for Flourish and Blotts."

Snape snorted at that, but didn't comment further. Harry decided not to ask – knowing what Snape thought would probably not help in this situation. Though he was curious. Not that it should matter to him what Snape thought about his boyfriend. But Snape was being almost nice and Harry found that intriguing. That would need some more investigating – which was just as well, since Harry didn't want to go home soon, anyway.

******

"Oh no, you're not doing that!" Harry had just arrived in time to find Snape checking himself out. Thank Merlin, Miller had sent a Patronus right away.

"Watch me, Potter," Snape said through gritted teeth and gripped the quill tighter.

"You can't even hold that bloody quill without trembling, much less a wand!" Harry tried to take the quill away from Snape, but for a man that had been seriously injured just two days previously, Snape was surprisingly agile.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Potter." Snape quickly signed the letter of release before Harry could stop him. "And now I'll be going home." He took a step forward – and would have fallen as his knees buckled, had Harry not caught him quickly.

"I can see how capable you are." Harry rolled his eyes. "Are you adamant about going home? I'd rather keep you here a while longer."

"Quite adamant, yes."

Harry sighed. "Well, in that case you better give me the coordinates to your house or you won't make it in one piece."

Snape stared at Harry for a long while after that, not moving at all. For a second or two Harry thought that Snape might have fallen into some sort of trance (you never knew with wizards), but then he actually nodded and told Harry how to get to his house. Harry thanked Miller and Disapparated with Snape.

The house, Harry noticed as he landed on the doorstep, was protected by a Fidelius and was unplottable – the tingle of magic on Harry's skin was unmistakable. Snape opened the door with a complicated motion of his hand and entered. The house was cluttered up with books, but still cosy. Snape sank into an armchair and sighed.

"I told you: leaving the hospital wasn't a good idea."

"You of all people should understand why I dislike places like that."

"Me of all people?" Harry laughed. "I work there!"

"Yes, but I distinctly remember you, despite your frequent visits to the infirmary, weren't exactly thrilled to have to stay there."

Harry grinned wryly. "I wasn't aware you actually knew about that."

"I know a great deal."

Harry suppressed the comment that lay on the tip of his tongue and rather looked around the room some more. Books told so much about the person. With some you could see the books were just for show – new and never touched; others displayed a very specific taste. But Snape seemed to have topics on every topic imaginable – he was a rare breed, a man with open and broad tastes.

"See anything you like?" The question was delivered with a sharp tone, but one that Harry instantly recognised as stemming from tiredness and hurt. Harry turned around slowly and was about to reply, when he found that suddenly, he couldn't anymore. He swallowed thickly, smiled and kept to his rule of not saying what was on the tip of his tongue.

******

The Ministry's hospital ward felt strangely empty without Snape there. During the day, Harry found himself thinking about Snape more and more. He wondered what he was doing, if he was alright and whether or not he should go and check up on him. Thinking about him was driving Harry up the wall, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

And so he stopped by Snape's after work, armed with two pots of soup he picked up at his favourite deli.

"How are you doing?" Harry asked once he was seated. Snape just threw him a look that told Harry he should wait with further questions until after they'd eaten. Harry shrugged and turned to his soup – at least he now knew pain and hunger turned Snape into an even grumpier bastard. For once he tried patience and was rewarded only a short 20 minutes later.

"I've felt better."

"That's why I'm here," Harry said and raised his wand. "Let me just run a quick check and see if you need any additional treatment." Snape threw him a look again, but the hearty meal had weakened his resolve to be horrible to Harry, or so it seemed. Harry ran the test anyway. "Looks okay. At least when taking into account that you just skated by death again and are still shaking off the aftershocks of that curse."

"How eloquently put."

"What can I say – I'm a regular word-smith."

Snape snorted. "Does that line work with your boyfriend?"

Harry blinked. "With Jeremy?"

"I wasn't aware you had several."

"I don't."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Potter."

Harry shook his head. Talking about Jeremy with Snape seemed weird somehow.

"Speaking of your boyfriend: Why are you here with me and not at home?"

Another good question Harry wasn't too keen to answer. But he replied anyway: "I had to check up on you. You know, healer's duty and honour." He didn't even believe that himself. But Snape just made a humming noise and dropped the topic.

******

Harry stopped by Snape's every day after that. Seeing Snape was like a compulsion – one that Harry explained to himself by saying that he needed to make sure that Snape was okay and that he wouldn't run away again. But part of him knew that wasn't the whole truth. Not wanting to delve deeper into the meaning of all of it, Harry concentrated on talking to Snape about everything he could think of.

At first they stayed in the vague and socially distant area of small talk – talking about the weather, Quidditch and acquaintances. But since Quidditch wasn't the only thing both of them were actually interested in, they strayed from those topics quickly. Snape insisted on talking about the war, saying they should get it out in the open. Harry would have liked to just keep a lid on the whole mess – especially since Snape seemed to be pretty much tight-lipped about the topic, even though he'd suggested in the first place. They agreed that the war had been a bloody, fucking awful affair and drank a whisky to all those who'd fallen, even though it was barely two in the afternoon.

Afterwards, they strayed towards the weird stuff. From their jobs to politics, to weird books they'd come across – there was barely anything they wouldn't talk about. Harry found that Severus – as he decided to call him quickly enough – was actually nice to talk to. Severus seemed more surprised that Harry could actually keep up his end of a conversation. And so the days passed.

Their shared company became a comfort and a necessity at the same time. Almost ten days later – Snape had healed by then, but that didn't stop Harry from coming by – they were about to clear the table after lunch.

As Harry reached for a plate, Snape stopped him by putting a hand on his arm. Harry turned around with a questioning look at Snape – and found him only inches away. For a moment their eyes met, then Harry's seemed to close on their own accord and Snape kissed him. His lips were rough and there was stubble on both of their chins. And then Harry pushed Snape away, slightly.

"No." Harry licked his lips and swallowed thickly. He could still taste Severus' tea on them. "No. I can't." He wasn't a cheater. Wouldn't do this to Jeremy. Slowly, he pulled back and ignored how cold he suddenly felt. "I'm sorry." And with that he grabbed his coat and Disapparated.

******

He couldn't forget that almost kiss. Couldn't forget the closeness between him and Severus or how Severus' breath had mingled with his. Couldn't forget the fluttering touch of Severus' fingers on his cheek before Harry had to pull away.

"Something isn't right with you," Jeremy said late at night, lying in bed. They had been lying there, next to each other and not touching. "Something isn't right with us."

Harry said nothing for a long while, wondering how it had come to this. How it had come to the point that they hadn't noticed they were falling out of love. At least he had – and he suspected Jeremy had, too. "Yes."

"Is it another bloke?" Jeremy asked.

Harry couldn't bring himself to look at Jeremy. What was he supposed to say? They hadn't started to drift apart because of Severus, but once Severus had returned to Harry's life Harry sure as hell hadn't made any effort to save what he and Jeremy had. And so there was only one thing that was left to say: "I'll move out tomorrow."

******

Two days later, Harry couldn't keep himself from going over to Severus' place anymore. The room at the Leaky Cauldron may have been comfortable, but it also invited him to lie on his bed and think too much. Maybe seeing Severus and talking to him would help.

But Harry didn't even get that far: When he arrived at the house, he found it empty. Harry circled it, checked for spells and activity, but it was evident that Severus hadn't been at home for over twenty-four hours. Worried, Harry Apparated to the healers' division at the Ministry, hoping and dreading at the same time that Severus might be there. But he wasn't; no-one had seen him since the day Harry had taken him home.

The more time passed, the more worried Harry became. So worried, in fact, that he went so far as to go down to the Unspeakables' area to ask if they knew where Severus was. Of course, no-one would talk to him.

******

 

None of Harry's enquiries at the Ministry were successful, nor did Severus seem to have been brought to the infirmary at the Ministry or, for some reason, to St. Mungo's. The fact that no-one at the Ministry shot him pitying glances, but actually they were rather annoyed by him, told Harry that Severus had to be alive. At least he clung to that hope like gum to a shoe. The day at work dragged on and, at the end, Harry couldn't take it anymore and took the rest of the day off. Knowing that returning to his room in the Leaky Cauldron would only lead to more worrying, Harry decided to go to Severus' place instead.

The house was still empty and, from the magical traces, Severus hadn't been back here. As if someone else was moving his limbs, Harry slowly sat down on the stoop. It made no sense, bordered on crazy, but he would wait. He'd wait for Severus, even though he didn't know if he would return today or tomorrow or even at all. It certainly beat sitting in his hotel room.

******

Harry jerked awake when someone kicked him. He pointed his wand up before his eyes were even open and yet that someone said: "Your defence skills have clearly turned to shit. If I'd wanted to kill you, you'd be dead without a doubt." This made Harry jump into action – the voice, so remarkable in its tonality and tremor, was Severus' – and he launched himself at Severus.

"I was so worried!"

"I wasn't aware I was on your radar enough to have you worried," Severus said, but held Harry close nevertheless.

"You weren't... I spent all my spare time here, you arse." Harry's voice was muffled against Severus' robes. He smelled slightly of fire, but there was no wincing when Harry hugged him hard – he seemed to be fine.

"That you did. And you left me rather suddenly last time I saw you, to attend to your boyfriend's need for fidelity."

Harry pushed back a little, so he could see Severus' face. "Jeremy and I broke up." He watched as conflicting emotions rushed over Severus' face – in the end, relief won out. At least until whatever training Severus had clamped down on it, and he said: "Is this why you are sitting on my stoop? Has one kicked you out and you decide to crawl to another? Or have you felt the need to confess our kiss to your... to him, only to have him break up with you? You will undoubtedly get back together –"

Harry stopped Severus from talking by putting his hand on his chest and stepped closer. "Maybe it's time you stopped talking so damn much," he said and tilted his head, ready to move in. It was Severus' hands on his shoulder this time that kept him from moving any closer.

"I will not be some kind of rebound for you."

"You should know you're more than just a rebound," Harry said quietly. "And even though I will sound sappy as fuck, I think it was rather Jeremy who was the rebound."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. My rebound from thinking that what I wanted with you wouldn't be possible – ever. But it's you I want to end up with. It's always been you."

And suddenly, Severus pulled him in close again and kissed him, hard, almost growling. Harry's hands went around Severus' neck immediately and he opened his mouth, frantically trying to get closer, to get more. He didn't give a fuck that this position wasn't comfortable – he only wanted Severus. They stumbled backwards through the door that just gave way to them, and barely made it into the living room, all the while shedding their clothes.

"Fuck, Severus!"

"That is the general idea, yes."

Harry pulled off his socks and underwear as quickly as possible, not giving a damn that he wasn't the least bit graceful doing so. His mouth found Severus' quickly after that, so close that their dicks were touching, wet and throbbing. Harry pulled Severus on top of him onto the couch, legs spread just so they could keep rubbing up against each other.

"Do you have –?"

Severus grabbed his wand and seconds later he felt a tingling sensation of a protector spell and a bottle of lube was sailing towards them. Harry watched in fascination how Severus slicked two fingers and pushed them into Harry, all the while his dick – thick and rock hard – was begging to be touched. His head fell back as Severus started moving his fingers and Harry pushed back with a moan.

Soon the two became three fingers and then, finally, Severus listened to Harry's pleas and pushed his own lubed-up cock against Harry's hole.

"Fuck, yes! Please!"

Severus pushed in, hard and fast, barely giving Harry any time to adjust. And Harry begged for more, wanting nothing between them – neither then nor ever – and pushed back against Severus. He took his dick into hand as Severus began to fuck him in earnest, moving like he was meant to do nothing but.

Their climax came hot and swift, only announced by a hot, flashing tingle in the tips of their fingers and toes, racing through their bodies. Afterwards, Severus sank down onto Harry. Harry could hear Severus heart beat wildly and knew Severus could hear the same. He pressed a kiss to Severus' temple.

******

  


Epilogue

One night spent together turned into many and Harry found it surprisingly easy to move on from Jeremy to Severus. With him, he felt at home. Life continued as it had before, with Harry working as a healer and Severus as an Unspeakable, doing Merlin knew what. Some part in Harry wished Severus would take on a different job, but he never said it out loud, because he knew that being an Unspeakable was more than a job for Severus – just like being a healer was part of who Harry was. Still, Harry knew he would never stop worrying about Severus when Severus went off on another secret mission. But he also knew that he would be the first to contact should anything ever happen to Severus. He would be there to take care of Severus in the medical department and mend whatever was broken – just as Severus had mended him. And they would be happy, no matter what.  


-The End-

  



End file.
